President-elect Barack Obama is something of a rock star. And so it makes sense that his inauguration has inspired numerous parties in Denver, which is a clean 1,700 miles from the real action in Washington.

From concerts to early-morning watch parties, bar gatherings to dance events, many in Denver are ready to say hello to Obama — and, in many cases, goodbye to President George W. Bush.

These parties are definitely partisan.

“We didn’t know how we wanted to mark this occasion, but we knew we had to somehow celebrate the passing of the biggest stone in America’s digestive history,” said Micah Johnson, the director of Denver Community Promotions, a group that is staging parties on Tuesday night. “It isn’t just ushering in the new. It’s getting rid of the old. It’s a historic statement that this many people are doing so much together as a community in support of getting rid of a president.”

Here are five ways to commemorate — and celebrate — Obama’s inauguration in the next week.

1. A Jonesy’s luau

In celebration of Obama’s birthplace, the good folks at Jonesy’s Eatbar (and its sister bar, the Horseshoe) are throwing an inauguration luau.

They’ll be opening early (11:30 a.m.) for those watching in real time, and there will be food and drink specials — including the tropical-themed Obama Mamas (think Bahama Mamas) for $3. A DJ will start the night party at 7 p.m. with luau-themed music (and enough sense to know when to turn down the decks and turn up the TV).

“We love the idea of throwing a luau in Colorado in the middle of January,” said Leigh Jones, the owner of the restaurant. “We even ordered a life-size cutout of Barack Obama, so he’ll be there to celebrate with us.”

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2. The Farewell to Bush Bashes

What should you expect at the Hi-Dive and the Walnut Room on Tuesday?

“Imagine a world where the ’60s had prevailed,” said Johnson, the organizer behind the two rock shows, which will also feature visual art, local films and plenty of spectacle. “Each band is going to do something completely different than they typically do. It’s the biggest party of the decade.”

Playing the Hi-Dive on Tuesday: the Swayback, the Knew, Drop City and Missing Dufrenes. Playing the Walnut Room on Tuesday: Effektor, George W. Nixon (which is Johnson’s band), In Favor of Eliza and Radical Knitting Circle.

Denver Community Promotions will be collecting blankets for the homeless at both venues.

There’s a pre-party ($25) from 5:30-7:30 p.m. with free food, an open bar, jazz combo and silent auction. But the main party starts at 7:30, and a $15 admission ($10 in advance) gets you access to sets from Josh Novak, Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore, the Lovely and Talented, Jen Korte, Emilio Emilio, Tori Pater, Mike Kaylor and others.

Denver’s black theater troupe, Shadow Theatre Company, is opening its doors early on Tuesday for a big inauguration party co-presented by Denver Black Pages and Countdown to Zero. The doors will open at 9 a.m. for the celebration, which is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be available, and the TVs will be big and loud when it counts.

“I can’t tell you how beautiful it was when we did the election watch (in November), what with all the crying and hugging and sharing,” said Jeffrey Nickelson, the company’s artistic director. “And we were thinking that it was so nice let’s do it twice. And I’m afraid that we’ll be over out capacity because we’ve already got so many people confirmed for this thing.”

One of Denver’s longest-running club nights, Lipgloss, started right after Bush was first elected — and DJs boyhollow and Tyler Danger Jacobson are thrilled to finally host “The First Ever Bush-Free Lipgloss” on Jan. 23.

“We’ve been around for 7 1/2 years,” Jacobson said earlier this week. “And so this will be a place to go and celebrate and be glad that we’re not underneath that whole thing anymore.”

That’s not the only reason to celebrate. From 9 to 10 p.m. on the 23rd, the Lipgloss DJs will host a listening party for the new Franz Ferdinand record, and that night is also DJ boyhollow’s birthday bash complete with guest DJ Mada. (Reminder: Admission is always free from 9 to 10 p.m.)

Ricardo Baca is the editor of The Cannabist. After 12 years as The Denver Post's music critic and a couple more as the paper's entertainment editor, he was tapped to become The Post's first ever marijuana editor and create The Cannabist in late-2013. Baca also founded music blog Reverb and co-founded music festival The UMS.

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